Ozone is a gas that forms a naturally occurring layer in the upper atmosphere (stratosphere), protecting Earth from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) light. The ozone hole is an area of reduced stratospheric ozone. It forms in spring over Antarctica because of ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) produced from human activities. The ozone hole has started to shrink due to the phase-out of ODSs, and it is possible that it will cease to form by the middle of this century.
The ozone hole does not have a large effect on the concentration of ozone over New Zealand. However, when the ozone hole breaks up in spring, it can send ‘plumes’ of ozone-depleted air over New Zealand. Reporting on the state of the ozone hole helps us understand the state of ozone concentrations globally.
More information on this dataset and how it relates to our environmental reporting indicators and topics can be found in the attached data quality pdf.